16/7/17 part 4 updated#Kaya ss: Perfect recipe of love - Page 2

Kabir sprayed his most expensive perfume and reminded himself this was not a date. This was just touring the city with Ms.Journalist. But whatever it was he was looking forward to see her. He'd even texted her in the morning to confirm their meeting. She'd just sent several smilies. She sounded totally cool. Well may be it was quite common for her. After all it was not a date. Not a date.

When Kabir finally reached juhu, he found Ananya easily. It was impossible to miss those curls. As he made his way to her, he made a point of checking her out. She had worn a pink crop top and blue printed skinny jeans with her aviators. She was totally oblivious to the world or all the appreciative glances she was getting and was busy typing on her phone, letting a smile every two seconds. She looked very happy chatting to whoever it was. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. What if she had a boyfriend???? No, she wouldn't have agreed to meet him otherwise, his mind reasoned. But it isn't a date, he argued. Well you would be a fool to not pick up on those signs, she's interested, his mind countered.

He finally managed to gain her attention as he cleared his throat, standing right before her.

"Hey chef" she greeted him cheerfully as she saw him.

"I have a name Ananya" he told her removing his aviators.

"But chef sounds sexy." She told him cheekily and he smiled at her.

"But Kabir's quite a nice name" he told leaning closer.

"But I like chef" she reasoned and leaned yet more closer.

They looked defiantly at each other before Kabir blinked his eyes.

"Huh! You lost." Ananya quipped moving away.

"Was there a competition going on?" He asked amused.

"That's the classic dialogue of all losers." She said blowing on her manicured nails.

"Whatever." He said waving his hand, in a nonchalant gesture.

"Did I make you wait?" He asked her as she pocketed her phone.

"No you didn't. I just arrived like 5 minutes before." She informed him and he nodded.

"So lets head to wherever you're taking me." He told her and she grinned.

"Trust me you won't get a better tour guide." She told him cheekily.

"I'm sure I won't. Let's get going."

They first made it to the gate way of India and clicked several photos as Ananya filled him in about the place. They saw the tajmahal palace hotel and then visited the haji Ali Dargah. Kabir being an atheist just watched Ananya pray. He had to agree that he felt quite at peace being there. He looked at Ananya's face, oblivious to everything around her and totally lost in her prayers. She looked so serene that Kabir's breath got stuck in his throat. He glared at one of the man who was eyeing her. He stood up and towered over Ananya covering her from others view. Once done they headed to film city and then had lunch nearby. They shopped at fashion street and with the amount of bags Kabir was carrying he was sure Ananya loved shopping. They later headed to the chat stalls and enjoyed the delicacies of Mumbai. They even enjoyed the metros of Mumbai, though Kabir wasn't sure he actually enjoyed it. At the end of the day, they headed to powai lake and then juhu beach. They sat on the sand over looking the waters. Ananya decided that it was not really fair that they'd come to juhu and not played in water. So they managed to get themselves partially wet as they enjoyed in the water. Exhausted Kabir sat a little away on the dry sand watching Ananya squealing and giggling every time the water touched her feet. He realized that it was undoubtedly the best day of his life. He clicked a picture of carefree Ananya her hair all over totally oblivious to him clicking her pictures. When she realized what he was doing she began posing and Kabir laughed seeing her weird-cute poses. After all the play they sat down watching the sun set enjoying an ice-cream. Ananya animatedly told him about her childhood and friends and Kabir told her all about his stay in England and all the places he'd travelled.

"The first place I worked gave me the most horrible boss. Every day I came home I thought ten thousand ways of murdering him. It was worse than hell."

"I couldn't even complain because I'd chosen the profession. My dad and mom even though supported me, knew it would take me a long time to actually get settled. It took me 5 years. My brother did his m.b.a and joined dad's business. It wasn't hard for him since he was staying in the line. I'm not boosting but trust me even though we are loaded I know what struggle is." He told her looking at the horizon.

"Hmmm. I'd rather not talk about my boss. But I love my work. I love doing all the behind work. Stings are my favourite part. I'd rather be behind the camera and work my ass off rather then sell some bs before the camera. I agree initial days were hard, but it got better with time. I cried every single day in the first two months of my work because they assigned me to the bollywood gossip section. It was sheer torture." Ananya told him groaning and Kabir laughed.

"Bollywood hater?" He guessed.

"Nah. I hate priving into others life unless and until they are not doing something illegal. Why the hell do I care if alia bhat and Siddharth are not on talking terms? The sun's not going to rise from the west if they don't talk to each other. Salman and srk hugged each other. Its not like they changed gender!!! Katrina and Salman had dinner together. They make such a big issue of it as if them having dinner caused hunger strikes. Ab log chain se khaa bhi nahi sakte kya?" Ananya told him irritated and Kabir burst out into a peel of laughter hearing her demonstrations.

"So what sucker for Hollywood? I love the British actors." He told her cleaning his mouth with a tissue.

"Ya I'm a holly sucker. Don't get me started on the actors. I could write all about them longer than Mahabharat. I love korien movies. And i love Pakistani shows too. Though currently I've been busy with a lead. So I barely have time for dinner. Then I'm busy with studying the files and gathering my evidence and if time permits I read and then off to sleep. I'm actually glad I could go out today. I seriously wanted a break." She said ending with a exhausted uff.

"Wow. You're quite busy." He said dealing with all the info she was giving him.

"Right. Very busy. I like busy. I'd rather be busy than idle. What about you?" She asked him licking her candy stick, trying to suck out all the taste.

"My whole day's spent at the kitchen. I get up early in the morning, head for a run, hit the gym, head back, shower, change, eat and off to work. Once I'm in the kitchen I need to check the ingredients and other things. They have to be fresh enough. Old stocks are discarded. Extras are donated to shelter homes or if anyone wants it they take it. Then get the kitchen ready, assign my staff, get the menu and begin cooking. I have to govern every dish that goes to the table, keep an eye on everything that goes around. Keep instructions going in case anyone misses out. Train the amateurs. That way my entire day's time goes in the kitchen. If there's an event or a big dinner don't even ask how busy it gets. Once the restaurant closes for the day I and the gang get together in the bar and share a couple of drinks. Then I head back to the hotel, shower, change, order dinner and watch tv. Once a week I call my parents and give my mom a weekly report. Then if time permits I get in touch with my friends through social network and then I'm off to sleep." He said and Ananya realized how passionate he was about cooking. Something he'd told caught her attention.

"Wait you said head back to hotel. What do you mean that you stay in a hotel?" She quizzed him.

"Ya. From the past two months actually." He informed her.

"Dude if you have that kind of money why don't you get a place?" She asked him wondering the horrendous amount he was spending.

"Well I seriously haven't had time to go house hunting. I know how the brokers work. I don't want to burden anyone buy crashing on their flat. So duh." He told her as if it was obvious.

"You're crazy I...hey Wait!!!!! I have an idea" she said as something struck her. He motioned for her to continue.

"Why don't you move into my apartment" she said excited and he looked at her incredulously. 

"What!!" He asked shocked. She took in his expressions and understood how it sounded.

"Not move in with me. I meant that I have a spare apartment which I very rarely use. I crash in there only when I'm working on a lead and I need to get to the office early or come back. I stay with my parents, but use the apartment a few times. Its like my space. You can shift there. And fyi it's clean and quite comfy. It's even closer to your work place. What say???" She filled him in and he thought for a minute.

"Okay but I'm paying the rent." He told her.

"The place's already bought." She informed him.

"I'll pay for the utilities. Electricity and other stuff." He told her not backing down.

"You don't have to." She assured him.

"But I want to. That's the deal." He said defiantly and Ananya sighed defeatedly.

"Fine. When do you want to start moving in??"

"How about this Wednesday?"

"Cool. You can pick me up from work." She told him smiling.

"Wednesday done then." He agreed.

They sat silently watching the waves and darkness enveloped the sky.

"Uhhh...we should head back now. I told mom I'll be there for dinner." She said in a low voice. Kabir felt strangely disappointed about the night ending. Ananya got up and began dusting the sand off her jeans. Kabir mirrored her actions.

The car ride was a silent one. Ananya gave him suitable directions to her house and the car finally stopped at her gate. Kabir and Ananya sat silently stalling their departure. An awkward fiddling with the bag was the only sound. Kabir slowly reached for her hand and gently held it.

"I have to go." Ananya announced a little shakily as his touch felt feverish.

"I know" he whispered audible enough for her to hear as he caressed her wrist.They sat staring at each other, giving small smiles every minute and breathing through their mouth every second. Ananya leaned towards him and gently kissed his cheeks and murmured good night and headed out the car . She waved at him opening her door and nodded before finally closing the door, let out the breath she was holding.

Kabir sat a good 5 minutes reeling with the kiss. Although a peck, he could still feel the lingering sensation of her lips on his cheeks. As he drove home that night he knew one thing for sure. He wanted to see her again.

Richa looked at Trisha and then at Ananya and again back to Trisha and the two women shook their head simultaneously. Something was up with Ananya for sure. She looked radiantly..happy. Every two minutes she was giving a distant smile and a dreamy sigh as if she was not here. Another curious thing was her phone which buzzed periodically and the smile that graced Ananya's face reading the text. Something was definetely up. Trisha nudged Richa to directly ask Ananya what the matter was.

"Ananya everything cool?" Richa asked.

"Yeah. Totally" Ananya told smiling.

"Okay. It's just you look..." Richa was cut off when Ananya's phone buzzed.

Ananya looked at her phone and happily smiled as she got up and took her bag.

"Okay I'm going out for a lead. I'll be back later. Bye guys" she informed them and happily breezed out of the office. Ronnie who arrived just then, saw Ananya's retreating figure and asked the women where she was heading to and Richa informed that she was going out for a beat.

"I don't think so Ananya went for a lead." Trisha quipped.

"What do you mean?" Ronnie quizzed.

"I think she has a hot date." Trisha said happily causing Ronnie to frown and Richa to look at him.

"Come on yaar. You know Ananya's not like that." Richa told her.

"What is that supposed to mean? Isn't she a normal human who can go out with somebody she likes." Trisha told matter of factly, oblivious to Ronnie's discomfort.

"But she told she's going out on a lead, didn't she. She won't lie about it." Richa said trying to assure Ronnie indirectly.

"Accha baba. Now let's head to the canteen. I'm hungry." Trisha quipped pulling them along her. Ronnie followed her lost, still disturbed with the thoughts of Ananya seeing someone.

Ananya grinned as she made her way inside kkn. Her afternoon had gone wonderful. Kabir had picked her up and they'd had lunch in a restaurant before heading for the apartment. After he had moved in with a few suitcases, she'd managed to show him around the place. Kabir made showing around the apartment fun. His every two minute pointers and flirting had left her quite flustered. But she didn't mind it. Infact she enjoyed it. How in the hell had her life changed so quick!!!

~~~~~~~~~

 Two weeks later, Ananya hurriedly wiped her tears and held the bundle of files securely against her chest, managing her bag on her shoulders entered her apartment. She walked inside the living room and abruptly dropped her files when she caught sight of a shirtless Kabir. She hurriedly slapped her hands on her eyes and turned around.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'd totally forgotten you live here now. I... I... I should get going." She stammered in the end, bending down and picking up her files.

"Here let me help you." Kabir said bending down.

"No it's fine. I can do it." She snapped refusing to look at him. Kabir tried to gauge her mood and realized something was wrong. His thoughts were confirmed when he saw her puffy eyes and the streaks of tears on her cheeks.

"Ananya everything fine?"

"Yes it's fine." She said, trying hard not to scream. She gathered her files and turned away trying to go but Kabir caught her hands.

"What's wrong Ananya?" He asked her calmly.

"Let me go"she mumbled in a tired voice.

"Tell me what's wrong"

"Kabir just let me go." Ananya choked back her tears.

"Ananya please tell me what's wrong" he said softly and Ananya completely lost it.

"Don't you get it. I said let me go. Stop interfering in my matters. You're not my mother. Leave my hand." She lashed out at him. But Kabir refused to let her go and simply pulled her against him and enveloped her in a tight hug.

"I said let me go Kabir. Leave me." She screamed hysterically, trying to push him away. She screamed and yelled and cursed and threw a few hits but Kabir remained unaffected and just held her closer. A few minutes later fight left her body and she slumped against him, crying bitterly. Kabir sank to the sofa and pulled her on his lap and let her cry. Half of the things she mumbled went above his head. But he didn't knead her and simply let her be. He wondered how long she'd been holding the emotional dam under the facade of bravado. Ananya held him tightly, digging her nails in his shoulders afraid he'll vanish if she let him go. After what seemed like an hour Ananya's angry tears subsided to exhausted sniffs. Kabir just held her and rubbed her back, whispering soothing words in her ears and occasionally pecking her head.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you." Ananya mumbled into his chest, refusing to let him go.

"Its alright baby. Tell me what's wrong?" He asked her running his hands through her hair.

"The owner's daughter hates me and my boss harasses me to get him a breaking news everyday and my senior keeps hitting on me with some apparent bs about securing me a good position and then spreads the word in the office that I'm trying to hit on him and my parents are off to Kanpur to see my granny who is very ill and my brother's in hostel and I'm obviously alone and I decided to come here totally forgetting that you live here now and I'm..I'm furious, exhausted and hungry. That's what is wrong." She told him in a breath and sniffed rubbing her nose.

"Why don't you freshen up while I make us some dinner." He told her softly pecking her hair and she nodded her head.

Ananya's stomach growled when the aroma of food tickled her nostrils. She let her feet carry her to the source of the aroma and found Kabir tossing a pan of pasta.

"Hey!!! I hope you like pasta?" He asked as he spotted her in the kitchen. Ananya just nodded her head. Right now if he would feed her dog too, she would eat it without complain. She opened the refrigerator and eyed a jar of fresh juice and took it out and poured the juice into two glasses.

After the pasta was done they sat on the kitchen island and Kabir served both of them. With the corner of his eyes he watched Ananya gorge on the pasta and within a few minutes she was done and served herself a second time. Damn she was really hungry.

"I haven't eaten since yesterday." She confessed sipping her juice.

"Why didn't you?"

"I was busy." She said shrugging her shoulders and continued eating.

 "Its really bad to skip meals Ananya. No matter how busy you are, you are supposed to eat." Ananya nodded agreeing. The rest of the dinner went silently. It felt almost odd with a talkative Ananya in a monosyllable mode.

"Let me do the dishes and you go get changed and then I'll make us some coffee and we can talk." He said smiling and Ananya nodded going away to change.

After looking for her around the house he found Ananya standing on the balcony, in her short pink cardigan, rubbing her arms to warm herself. He quietly made his way to her and placed the cup before her eyes to gain her attention. Ananya looked at him and then at the cup and gently took the cup from him. They silently drank the coffee gazing at the city and the beautiful night sky.

After Ananya finished her's she placed the cup down and continued gazing at the sky and rubbed her arms.Kabir shook his head and kept his cup down before he held her hand and led her to the swing and sat down, pulling her on his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Ananya snuggled closer to him, enjoying the warmth emanating from him.

"Better?" He asked rubbing her arms. She silently nodded and sighed strangely happy.

"Want to talk about today?" He asked her gently and heard her sigh.

"I...I'm exhausted. Just...exhausted. I've tried to see all of it in a better light but now I'm done. I can't take it anymore. I can't bare the hatred Malvika has towards me. I have no idea what the hell I've ever done to her. Khalid sir doesn't help either. He being the boss must be more supportive but he's nothing close. He's more like Satan. He just doesn't get the fact that I don't carry news in my bag. And then there is Manav sir. I don't even know why the hell doesn't he understand that I don't like him. I don't want to take the easier way. It was better until he kept seducing me inside his cabin. But he crossed his limits when he spread rumours that I'm hitting on him. I can't bare all those accusing glances. I can't let anyone mess with my self respect. But I can't rebel without losing my job. And I can't afford to lose it. Not at this point. I don't know what the hell am I supposed to do." She told him everything that had been troubling her for God knows how long.

"You know what my father always told me. He told me work where you and your work is respected. So if your place of work doesn't give you respect then its time to move on." He told her softly.

"I don't want to leave kkn. I've all my friends here and I've built a reputation here. I can't quit now." She said, rubbing her palm against his chest.

"Then make it clear that you're hear to stay. You're a journalist Ananya. You know how it works. Why don't you talk to that malvika of yours and ask her what her problem is. If you can't talk and solve it, then just let it go. She's not worth it. And your boss should know his limits. Make it clear that you won't tolerate the harassment. And that danav of yours..." He said when she cut him off.

"Manav" she corrected him.

"Harkatein toh danav ki haina. Don't worry about him I'll deal with him." He said determined.

"No no please don't. It's my problem. I'll deal with him myself." She shrugged him off.

"Hmmm" he hummed.

"Please don't. Promise me you won't" she told him looking up from his chest.

"I can't promise you. " he said and she huffed.

"Now tell me about these friends of yours."He told her and Ananya's mood instantly lightened up and she fell into a chatter telling him about her friends and even showed him a few snaps. In one of the picture she'd shown, even Manav was present. Kabir made a mental note of how he looked. He definetely wanted to fix a meeting of him and this douche bag.